The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
by BabyFireWolf4tlk
Summary: Chapters 6, 7 & 8 added. This is a story about what The Lion King II would've been like if Disney had kept Kopa the cub at the end of the first Lion King, also seen in The Six New Adventures and was the main character instead of Kiara. Please R&R!
1. The Presentation

Working on two different stories at the same time, so please R&R The Coming of Meersha as well.

**_Note: _**The Lion King was created by Disney and is not owned by me, as well as the original The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1 1/2: Timon and Pumbaa's Story. The characters Mufasa, Scar (Taka), Sarabi, Simba, Nala, Sarafina, Zazu, Rafiki, Ed, Bonzai, Shenzi, Timon, Pumbaa, Zira, Nuka, Vitani, Kovu and even Kopa and Pimbi have also been created by Disney. This story however, was created by me...obviously.

I

THE PRESENATION

_T_oday was a special day. Several animals rushed through the beautiful lands called the Pridelands. Elephants, zebras, giraffes, ostiches, antelope, hippos, gazelles, cheetahs, dholes, okapis, leapards, birds, rodents, reptiles and many more were making their way to the great kingdom of rock in the south, which towered into the dark sky.

At Pride Rock, just as the sun began to climb, Rafiki was at its outcrop, motioning the excited animals closer. Soon, he turned to go get the new cub, just as the new King and Queen stepped up to the tip of the peak, gazing down in awe at all their loyal subjects, who were now cheering and crying out happily. A meerkat sat upon a warthog, lifting his arms, hands clasped at the fame as he shook them. Yet this special ceremony really wasn't for him - for any of them but the new arrival. The majordomo flew above the rulers along with a flock of white birds, before he landed to bow respectfully in front of them.

Then, as the crying went on, Simba and Nala seperated to let the shaman between them. Rafiki smiled at them all, a bundle of golden and lightly spotted fur resting in his arms. That's when the baboon carefully lifted the cub into the sky. As the clouds seperated to bathe the young one in its warm light and glory, the cheering was even louder as the animals stomped the ground and splashed in any near puddles. The cub just blinked questioningly at it all.

This, was the new prince of Pride Rock...and the future lion king.


	2. A King's Disapointment

II

A KING'S DISAPOINTMENT

_S_imba and Nala both sat on the outcrop of Pride Rock, just as the sun was crawling into the sky. It was a couple months later. Nala sighed.

"It's beautiful here," she commented, nuzzling into her mate's red mane.

"And it's all ours," he whispered, smiling.

Suddenly a blue bird flew over to them, landing on the jutted rock's tip, bowing before them, saying, "Your highness and majesty."

"Mornin', Zazu," the King the replied, yawning with a conjoined roar. "What's up?"

"Why, I've come to deliver the morning report, Sire." he answered.

"Oh yeah. Well, let's get on with it," and he heaved a sigh.

Zazu cleared his throat and puffed out his chest before saying, "The hippos are worried because the dry season is nearing and they'll have to move to distant water holes and rivers again, near the Outlands. I always tell them, Sire, that we can do nothing about it. The giraffes have been arguing about who gets what tree and when. As for the monkeys, they are just a nusence to the giraffes. Oh, and crockadiles are thriving here in the Pridelands more and more."

With another yawn, Simba stretched, claws extended briefely. "Tell the hippos we can do nothing, again," he sighed a second time. "and again. Tell the giraffes the trees are to _share_, and not only with each other, but the monkeys and other Pridelander, too. The crockadiles will have to live near the borders - I don't want a cub to get hurt." Then he looked around. "Speaking of cubs, Nala, where's Kopa?"

Nala shook her head. "He's still sleeping."

"He missed it again." growled the King.

"Sire?" the majordomo questioned.

"The sunset! Ugh...Zazu, before you go off again, can you wake up Kopa?"

"Yes, Sire," Zazu obeyed with another bow, before fluttering off to the royal cave.

Simba groaned, closing his eyes. Nala gently licked his face once.

"It's all right, Simba."

"No. He never wants to get up when he's supposed to, and today I was going to take him up to the top of Pride Rock." He opened his eyes which seemed to lightly ting with frusteration. "I remember when I was a cub, I _begged _my father every day to take me up there. And then, when that day _did_ come, I woke up at the crack of dawn. I was so excited."

Nala chuckled and lightly shook her head. "Simba," she purred. "You expect too much out of your son. Let him be a cub while he still can."

He rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Well at least if he's not like me, then he shouldn't get himself in _too_ much trouble," and he turned to his mate and grinned. "like we did."

"You mean like _you _did!" Nala snapped playfully back, raising a paw and batting it at him like like a cub.

They both laughed, before turning back to nuzzle each other, gazing out at the horizion in the distance of the north. The lush Pridelands were thriving with life of all kind: trees, green grass, more bugs than anyone would bother to count, zebras and other game, giraffes and elephants.

"He looks like you in every way, and yet he does not act like you," Nala giggled.

It only made Simba frown, though.

There was a yawn, and the two seperated as a small cub walked between them. He was gold, with a tuff of light gold/grown atop his head. The young lion did look like Simba in many ways when he was that age.

"What's so important that we have to wake up so early?" he asked, stretching.

"Kopa, as King, you'll have many responsabilities, and will _have_ to wake up this early." Simba exclaimed.

"Sounds fun," replied his son sarcastically as he sat down.

Simba ignored Kopa's remark. "I was going to take you up to the very top of the Kingdom."

"Oo wow," again there was sarcasim in his voice. "Going on top of a giant rock. That's _so _cool, Dad. But I think I'll skip this one," he said, lightly batting his dad's front leg.

Simba surpressed a light growl. "Maybe I was wrong. I guess you're not ready for it yet."

"Aww don't take it that way, Dad. I was just kiddin' with ya."

Sighing, the King looked away shamefully, his mane covering parts of his face as he closed his eyes once more.

"Kopa, you are part of the royal family. You're going to be King one day..."

"Yeah? So? What are ya getting at?"

Simba shook his head, looking back down at his son, eyes full of disapointment.

"I'll talk to him," Nala whispered. "You're supposed to be patrolling the borders right now anyway."

Nodding, her mate took off, stopping once to look at his son again with yet another sigh, before padding off, down across the outcrop and down the Kingdom on the main pathway. The Queen then turned to Kopa with a warm smile.

"Kopa, my son." she said. "Rulers taking their princes and princesses up to the top of the Kingdom is a tradition at Pride Rock. This is very important and special to your father."

"Mom, no offence but, being King doesn't sound too..._apealing_ to me." Kopa replied.

"Oh? And why is that?" she asked, still grinning.

He shrugged. "Er, it's not fun? I mean, you have t' look out for everyone all the time, and to wake up this early? Ack!"

To his surprise, his mother just laughed.

"You're a pawfull, ya know that?" and then her expression became more serious. "I guess you'll have to grow into it...Yup, you really do look like your father, and yet you are totally different."

"How so?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Simba _wanted _to be King."

"Well if it was going to be more fun..."

"Not everything is fun...Anyway, like I said, I think you'll grow into the idea. But for now-"

"Can I go play, Mom?" he then cut in.

"Yes, you can go play." she answered.

"Yay!" he cried, turning and taking off the way Simba had gone.

The prince was running, though, and so as he scrambled down the pathway, he passed his father, who was talking to a couple lionesses before he was to go out and patrol the lands. Simba blinked, watching his son go by before he began to run after him yelling, "Kopa! Kopa, stay on the path I've marked for you!"

Just then, Nala jumped in front of him.

"It's all right. I said he could." she assured.

"Hmm," Simba thought aloud, before turning his massive head to see Timon and Pumbaa coming over. "I'm glad you two are here."

"Uh, what is it?" the warthog asked in a scratch voice.

Nala raised a brow as Simba said, "Go look after my son, will you?"

"Ah, young prince Kopa! Why wouldn't we Simba?" Timon replied. "Don't worry, capitan." He started to tug on Pumbaa's ears. "Yah!"

Pumbaa snorted, rolling his eyes as he trotted off.

"Simba?" asked Nala.

"Sorry, I...I mean, I guess I just..." and he sighed. "It's my father...I still think about what happened."

"Scar's dead. Kopa'll be fine. Don't be so overprotective all the time."

The name of his uncle stung him, even making the great King flinch, but he nodded. Glancing out to the savannah again, he took off his own way for now.


	3. Simba's Warning

III

SIMBA'S WARNING

_K_opa crawled on his tummy slowly through the green, lush grass, smirking as he did so. After a few moments of tracking, he had found it: a prairie dog. Suddenly, the cub leapt up, just as the small creature scrambled into the ground, laughing as he did so.

"Hahaha!" it yelled, popping its head out of the hole then. "You haven't caught me once!"

"Well practice makes perfect," Kopa snickered back.

"_No one_ can catch me. I'm too quick." the prarie dog bregged.

"Oh yeah?" and the prince lifted a paw playfully, about to bat at him.

"Where'd the fur ball go anyway, eh?" someone said.

"Great," Kopa whispered to himself, rolling his eyes and retreating from the play to jump on a near log.

Down a small hill, just a few feet away were Timon and Pumbaa.

"I don't know," replied Pumbaa. "Maybe we should split up."

"Pumbaa, you'll never get it, will you?" Timon said, setting his elbows on the warthogs head as he sat on his neck.

"Huh?"

"That's just what the little guys wants: to confuse us! He's probably in the Elephant Graveyard now!"

"Maybe he's just playing nearby," suggested Pumbaa as he slowly walked through the grasslands.

"Ha! That's the stupidest thing you've said today!" and then Timon paused. "Hey, maybe he's just playing right now? Just nearby."

"Yeah!" Pumbaa cried.

"And we can sneak up on 'im!"

"You're a genius!"

"Of course, we've gone over that. Now, yah!"

Timon tugged on Pumbaa's ears, and the warthog suddenly took off to the east.

"Great, time t' lose these bozos," Kopa said to himself, smirking.

"What is it, Kopa?" the prarie dog then asked.

Kopa turned and said, "Pimbi, I need your help."

**Timon was scenting the ground carefully after having leapt off Pumbaa.**

"Pumbaa, ya find anything yet?" he asked.

"Nope," the warthog answered, shaking his head. "Except this grub," and he lifted up a rock with his snout and tusks.

"Pumbaa would ya stop with that already! We have a responsibility! If he gets hurt, _we _get hurt."

Suddenly, there was a grunt, and cracks filled the air. The two looked up to their left, eyes wide as their jaws dropped. A tree was falling right by them! The merekat almost instinctively leapt on Pumbaa as he turned to run off just as the tree landed.

"What was that?" asked Pumbaa in surprise as he stopped to look over his shoulder at the fallen grove.

"That tree was totally losing its roots!" exclaimed Timon.

There was laughing, and they looked up to see where the tree had been, there was a lion, who rolled around and kicked the air.

"Kopa!" they both yelled.

"You should've seen your faces!" he giggled.

"_You_ did this?" Timon asked, astonished.

"You're right, it was just about to fall, so it was calling to me. The roots were stickin' out 'n everything!...but I had a little help," the prince snickered as he sat up, and Pimbi nodded proudly.

"Kopa, you should be ashamed," Pumbaa snorted.

"Ya bet he should! That little rascal could've killed us!"

"You just wait for the King and Queen to find out,"

Kopa rolled his eyes and said, "Like they'd believe you?"

Pumbaa groaned and Timon glowered, just as Kopa tapped his paw on the base of the now-lying-down tree. A root snapped, and the tree, still on its side, abruptly slid down to the screaming pair as they were pushed into near water hole.

"Oo," Pimbi exclaimed, squinting as if it were hard to look. "They're gonna hurt tommorrow."

Kopa's head was lowered as the baby-sitters rose up, splashing in the water.

"Help! Help! I can't swim!" Timon spat.

The cub scrambled off, knowing very well that Timon was safe.

"Yes you can," Pumbaa snorted as he got up. "We did all the time with Simba, remember?"

"Oh yeah," the merekat replied, standing up, soaking. "Hakunamatta."

He shook the water off as they climbed out.

"Now let's go get that prince," he huffed, once more climbing atop Pumbaa.

"Uh, yeah, but where is he?" Pumbaa questioned.

**"Hey thanks, Pimbi. I think I can take it from here," Kopa said, now smiling, spirits slightly lightened.**

"Kay, but watch out." he warned as he climbed into a hole.

Kopa shook his head. "You have those everywhere, don't you? And don't have to worry about me. I'm totally on the look out. I _love _t' face danger!"

"Hmm, not wise to do something that could get ya into _too_ much trouble, if ya know what I mean. Look, somewhere in the east near the north is a loose rockwall where beyond it is water. To the south is a pack of dholes, oh and, watch out for the crocks near the northwest borders."

"How d' ya know all this?" the cub asked, somewhat impressed.

"News from the underground," Pimbi shrugged, before disappearing under.

As Kopa romped through grass, laughing there was suddenly a huge shadow, blanketing him and the very ground he stood upon. Blinking, the cub looked up, and sighed in relief to see his father again.

"Hey, Dad." he snickered.

"Kopa, I have to talk to you,"

"Er, OK. How 'bout some other time?"

"No. _Now._" Simba stated firmly.

"Fine." his son snorted.

As Simba began to talk about the Circle of Life and whatnot, Kopa just heaved a sigh, looking around with half-closed eyes.

"...and so it's just part of the Great Circle of Life. Kopa, are you listening to me?" Simba asked then, growing more iritated.

Kopa shifted in his position anxiously. "Hurry up, Dad. I can't sit here listening t' this all sun."

Simba blinked, outrage and shocked at his son's responce, and yet he hadn't a clue in how to react.

"Fine, sorry, Dad. Uh, could we at least walk while we're talking? Like...up there?" Kopa urged, nodding to dirt slope.

"Er, sure, if you want to,"

With that, the two began up the near slope, only to walk slowly upon atop rock wall that cut between a long, deep ravine.

"Now, we're all apart of the Great Circle of Life, right?" Simba said as his son nodded. "Well we each have our own parts in it - we might be eating the zebras today, but when _we're_ dead, they'll be eating what remains of us."

"You mean they eat dead bodies?" Kopa asked asked excitedly. "Ew, gross!" he paused. "But cool!"

Simba chuckled and shook his head. "That's not what I mean...our bodies will help the grass thrive so that the zebras and other animals can eat. That's what makes us part of each other...We are one."

Kopa heaved a sigh of boredom.

"Don't you even care about this? About everything and everyone you're going to have to look after one day?"

"Hey, hakunamatta." he snickered.

"Sire!" someone called - Zazu. The little, blue hornbill came fluttering over. "Sire! The monkeys keep throwing rocks at the giraffes and the giraffes keep-!"

Suddenly the rock wall began to crumble. Simba jerked his head around, then down to where his very paws stood, and his eyes widened.

"Kopa! Move!" he urged his son, but it was too late; the whole thing collapsed under their weight, as well as the water which pushed and carved into its barrier.

Zazu gasped as the water pushed through the breaking stone, and the two lions went plummeting into to the small yet fierce river. The edges were too high for one to climb out of, made of dirt and risen land, and several rocks and hanging trees littered the river and its pathway ahead.

"Dad!" Kopa cried as his back slammed against a rock, his breath forced out.

Simba was able to wrap a foreleg around his son so that the current pushed them together.

"Oh my goodness!" Zazu cried as he flew after them, a few feet overhead. "Simba!"

Just then, as he held his cub, the memories of his past caught up with him. The stampede seemed to never end as the cub was thrown into the air from the broken tree. He found himself caught in the jaws of his father, but the danger wasn't gone yet. _No,_ Simba thought, and pushed the flashback out of his mind. Now was the time to save his own son.

Simba was thrown in a wall of branches and vines. He gasped and struggled to hang on, and at the same time push Kopa up. The cub clawed his way from the wild waters below, only to leave his own dad. But Kopa managed to get to the top and, when he turned upon that branch to yell in shock, "Dad!" once more, the branch abruptly broke.

"Kopa!" Simba cried back.

Luckily Kopa had fallen on the risen land of a platue. He staggered to his paws, watching as his father began to climb up the finger like branches. Would they be strong enough to hold his weight, though?

"You can do it, Sire," Zazu urged as he tried to keep himself near Simba at all times.

When the King was only a couple feet below the edge of the platue, Kopa took a step back as to let his dad climb up all the way. Bad mistake. Kopa fell, and was soon sliding down yet another - steeper - slope of dirt, facing the north. When he met the edge of it, he flew out into the air and, was smacked into that of body. A lion cub. The two went rolling in the dust. Only when they came to a stop, did Kopa groan, his eyes tightly shut in agony from the fall.

"What did you do that for!" cried the cub he had fallen into.

"Huh?" asked Kopa, putting a paw on his head as he looked up to see a pale, sharp looking female. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Sorry ain't good enough," she spat, her blue and yellow eyes gleaming through bangs.

But Kopa wasn't listening. All he could think about was his dad. He turned around to call out, "Da-!" and was cut off as his face met the ground.

"Don't turn your back on me!" the cub warned as she got off him.

"Hey! Don't pounce me!" he snarled.

"You did it first,"

Kopa hufffed and stuck out his chest. The cub just laughed.

"Oo! You transformed from a fur ball to a puff ball, I'm _so _scared," she said sarcasitcally. "Pridelanders," she muttered rolling her eyes.

"Hey, don't go rolling your eyes at me! You're _on _my lands!" Kopa growled back.

"Really?" and she jerked her head around as if searching for something. "I don't see any lush grass or fresh water...That's because you're in the Outlands!"

"Huh?" He tilted his head.

"News flash, these ain't your lands,"

Kopa blinked as his eyes scanned the lands about. The new river itself seemed to be the borderline between the Pridelands and the Outlands. They were many yards from the grounds of his father's Empire, and so had a great view of it. But where they were now was just dirt, dry, yellow grass, and skeleton trees. Termites flew about as well, just adding to it.

"Oh man," the prince muttered as he looked up again.

He sat down, tail curling around himself as he gazed up to where he had fallen from. There, he waited - waited to see his father's face appear. Finally, the female blinked, and padded over.

"What are you looking at?" she asked curiously.

Kopa shook his head and took a deep breath. "Waiting for my dad," he answered.

She glanced up there, then looked at Kopa, as if seeing him for the first time. Her eyes lit up as she gasped.

"You're the King's son!" she cried.

"Yeah, so?" though he was still looking up at the dirt cliff.

"Hmm," she said, giggling. "We could have some fun then."

She play-bowed, about to pounce as her claws extended and scratched the ground. Kopa finally let his gaze move to her as he once again, cocked his head to the side.

"What are you-?" and she pounced him.

The sound of padding and shuffling filled the air, and the two looked up, Kopa on his back as the cub stood over him. He sighed in relief as he saw his dad sliding down the slope, and finally leap in front of them.

"Dad!" he cried.

Simba roared as the cub climbed off of him. He glared at her, before nuzzling his son as the majordomo flew over.

"Oh good, the little one's OK," Zazu sighed, but suddenly fluffed his feathers as his view fell upon the Outlander. "Sire! An Outlander!"

The King lifted his head from Kopa as he turned his attention back to the girl.

"Vitani," he growled lowly, still panting. "Where is your mother?"

Kopa sat under his father with a dazed, confused look on his face.

"Why, I'm right here," a cold voice said.

A slender lioness had climbed out through a bald bush. Her ribs were visible, and the features of her face were sharper than the cub's. She chuckled, sitting down behind Vitani, her tail curling about herself.

"Simba..." she whispered calmly, as she smiled.

"Zira," Simba said back, glaring. "I advise that you move your pride further from our borders."

"Ah, but it is you and _your _cub who are in _our _lands." Zira stated.

"Take my words as a warning, Zira. Besides, the Outlands are the Outlands. They belong not just to you..."

"Who else would live here but a few scrawny, lost lionesses, Simba?" she suddenly snarled. "With barely enough food and water to stay alive, no one! That's who!"

"Your mind is smaller than I thought." the King replied cooly. "The Outlands is a title for not just the dry parts of Africa, but everywhere else, _away_ from the Pridelands."

"Does great King Simba feel threatened by our presence?" Zira snickered.

Suddenly there was an ear-splitting roar. Simba leapt forward, over his son - Kopa hadn't a clue he could roar that loud, and so grew impressed, yet frightened as he watched. Zazu fluttered over in front of the cub.

"I've warned you, Zira!" he growled, standing over her. "If you mess up just _once_..."

But the King did not finish, causing Zira to smirk up at him. Vitani just quivered beneath her.

"Take your cub and move out," Simba then ordered, more calmly as he backed up.

As Zira stood and took the wide-eyed Vitani by the scruff, she chuckled, "Too scared to turn your back on me?"

Yet she said nothing more, and turned around slowly, walking through the sun bathed, crisp grass. Simba growled lowly as he picked Kopa up and began to pad to the edge of the Outlands, finding an easy place to jump down from. After landing back in the Pridelands, Zazu flew ahead and exclaimed, "Mongrels!"


	4. Outlanders

IV

OUTLANDERS

_A_s Simba walked off with his cub in his mouth and Zazu flying overhead, in the horzion of red and gold in what seemed a distant land of lush surroundings, Zira was left to stumble over the risen Outlands. Before long, she was padding behind that of the Elephant Graveyard, child still locked in her jaws. Vitani said nothing the whole way as she stared at the ground, past her dangling legs.

From the lands of bones, Zira was now stalking out in a dry place of more yellow grass and cracked ground. Not long after that, she came several giant termite minds, and slid down a small knoll of dirt. When on flat ground again, she continued through the flying bugs and passed several scrawny lionesses - some snoozing, others fighting over scraps. That's when she neared an adolescent lion and a male cub.

"Ya don't do it like that!" spat the adolescent. "Ya do it like this!"

With those words he picked the lion cub up with his forepaws briefly, before tossing him into a rotting tree. The little one ended stuck in its black trunk which he crashed through so that half of his small body was sticking out one end, and his front part sticking out the other. As he struggled, the older one just cackled.

Zira let Vitani down, who was now smirking as she watched her mother step over her, to her brothers.

The adolescent was skinny and had a brown/red coat, and the tuff of his tail, the fur that stuck from his front leg joints, and his still-growing mane were all black. He had a long, groad muzzle and his eyes were a tingling yellow eyes.

"Oh, Mother!" the teen shouted as he just noticed Zira. He pounced over near her, laughing nervously. "Mother, I caught some field mice for your dinner, I left 'em by the, um...by the...okay..."

Silently, his mother pulled the squirming cub out from the trunk of the small tree, and gently set him down.

"Oh, my little Kovu," she purred, and nuzzled him.

Her gentle side was finally showing itself. Kovu just took the nuzzle and rubbed up against her cheek, purring as well...He looked to his big brother and stuck his tongue out, happy that he had gotten the attention. This little lion was about the same size as Vitani and had the same coat as Nuka, with a tuff on his head and tail that were both black as well, though he would grow to be buffer than his brother.

The nuzzle didn't last long, though, as Zira suddenly straighened up again, jerking her head to glare at the adoelscent.

"Nuka!" she snarled, stepping towards him.

Nuka took a step back. "Y-yes, Mother?"

"Why weren't you watching Vitani?"

"I was too busy training that termite!" he suddenly blurted before he could help himself.

Vitani inwardly laughed as she saw Kovu making a face, moving his lips with a stupid expression as he mocked his elder brother. Nuka growled and reached his paw over to him, claws extended, but Zira just stepped in front of the cub.

"That _'termite'_ is your brother and was hand chosen by_ Scar!_" she growled. Then Zira pushed Kovu lightly so that he was in front of her as she sat, kneading his back with unsheated claws. "Besides," the lioness continued. "I don't see how throwing him into a tree is training,"

Zira then picked Kovu up by the scruff. As her cub dangled, she glared at Nuka. "_Don't_ mess up again." she warned, before turning around and padding off to the nearest termite mound.

As she disappeared, Nuka glowered, before muttering, disgusted, "Kovu, Kovu, Kovu. Scar wasn't even his father. He just took him in."

"Pfft, shows how much you know," Vitani replied, rolling her eyes. "Kovu's gonna have t' beat Simba and take his place as king. Could _you_ do that?"

Nuka began scratching himself as termites and vermin surrounded him. "Of course I could!" With that the adolescent went on to chewing on himself, still attempting to rid himself of the bugs. "I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest - Ooogh! These termites!" he suddenly howled, rolling around.

Vitani watched him, eyes full of amusment as she smirked, satisfied almost.

Before long, Nuka was sitting as he pulled himself around on the ground, saying, "I could be a leader, if she'd just give me a chance!"

"I don't know," Vitani snickered as she began wrestling with a root that stuck from the dried ground. "That Simba," she went on, muffled because the root was now in her mouth. "looked pretty strong to me."

Nuka got up, with an extended claw as he sat down, and broke the root so that when she had pulled back, she was let loose, and went flying. The cub got stuck in a hole in the ground, and her older brother burst out laughing. As she pulled herself out, she glowered.

"It would take ten of your skinny selves t' even wound Simba!" she snarled.

Nuka fell silent and blinked as he looked down at his young sibling. "It's not like _you've_ seen 'im before," he scoffed.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? He _looked _pretty strong...And he is, trust me!"

"I don't believe you," he replied, looking away, acting as if he had no interest in what she was saying at all, though he still listening intently.

"Mother was there! Ask her yourself!" she spat. "Simba was _huge! _And _that's_ why Scar chose Kovu...because he knew Kovu'd be strong enough, and that you'd be too weak," Vitani suddenly snickered.

"Ha! If it's that way, then how come_ I'm _stuck training little termite Kovu?"

Vitani just shook her head, not answering as she padded off the way her mother went, smirking to herself.


	5. A Promise

V

A PROMISE

_"D_ad?"

Simba and Kopa were back at the Pridelands at the river near Pride Rock. The King gently set his son down in the grass.

"Hmm?" he replied.

Kopa turned around, staring up at Simba almost gravely. "Do...I-I mean, could you take me up t' the top of Pride Rock...tonight?"

His father's eyes widened at the question, but soon softened once more.

"Yeah...that'd be great!" Simba finally responded suddenly as his front legs left the ground in a kind of half jump, voice filled with joy. Kopa giggled, but the King went on. "Er, but the tradition is going up there," he nodded his head up to the Kingdom which was about a mile or two away. "when the sun rises. I know you don't like to get up early but it's to explain-"

"I know, I know." Kopa cut in. "Take me up there during another sunrise, but I wanna go up there tonight...ya know, so we can see the stars and stuff."

Once more, Simba couldn't help but his expression softening with love, and he grinned. "All right." he said gently. "We'll go up there. Tonight."

"Promise?"

"...Promise."

"Yeah!" Kopa cried anxiously as he turned around while leaping up into the air, and he bounded off through the grass, down near the river bank.

"Simba!" Nala called as she came running over to him.

As they came together again, she said, "I was so worried. What hap-"

He quickly interupted so as not to cause anymore frantic feelings. "Shh, it's OK. We just had a little...accident." and he nuzzled her lovingly. "It's OK. Nothing really happened. We're here now."

Nala forced a weak smile, showing signs of relief, when suddenly Zazu came flying in.

"Your highness! Oh it was dreadful! The prince almost died!" he cried, fluttering around, frenzied. "They were about near death! Kopa almost died and so did Simba! Thank the heavens Simba was able to push your son - who almost _died_-!"

"You already said that," Nala said flatly, eyes half-closed in annoyance.

"-he was able to push him up the branches! Oh how scary it was! I was just saddened I couldn't do anything about it," he yelled, huffing and puffing. Taking a few breaths, he finally screamed out, "They almost _DIED!_"

Simba rolled his eyes as he shook his massive head, though he couldn't help a small grin form. He quickly batted the majordomo away before the rambling could go on.

"Hey, I'm taking Kopa atop Pride Rock tonight. He asked me to."

"That's great!" Nala cried.

Kopa was running through grass still, when he spotted Pimbi right by the river. Smirking to himself, the lion cub abruptly cut through the air, landing on the prarie dog.

"Ah!" cried Pimbi in surprise.

"Ha!" Kopa replied as he scrambled on a rock, then turned around to face him. "Too fast for anyone, eh?"

"You were lucky," the small animal huffed.

The prince laughed, before bregging, "Dad and I were rushed through a river! He saved me, though," he exclaimed proudly as he sat, puffing out his chest.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yup. _And_ I met an Outlander!"

"Really?" Pimbi asked, nose twitching.

"What a raging ball of choked up furry!" Kopa laughed, before extending his claws as he playbowed. "She was _vicious!_"

"Well I don't wanna get between you and your vicious friend there..." the prarie dog replied with a wink.

"There he is!" Timon said.

The pair came over.

"Don't think we've forgotten what you two did!" Timon exclaimed as he leapt off the snorting warthog.

Kopa sat up, taking a front paw and lifting it over his shoulder, as if trying to casuall, innocently scratch his back. "Yeah, uh, sorry 'bout that, guys,"

"You know, that really hurt our feelings," Pumbaa suddenly said, sniffling.

"Yeah," Timon whimpered, his voice weakening then.

Kopa and Pimbi glanced at one other, surpressing laughter.

"It's OK, Pumbaa ol' pal," the meerkat assured as he patted his friend's back. "Nothing a batch of grubs can't fix, eh?"

"Oo! Love grubs! Especially the slimey kind!"

"Slimey? Are you kidding? It's the crunchy ya want!" Timon snapped.

"No, I don't think so. Slimey's best!"

"Crunchey for sure,"

"Nope!"

"Yeah!"

"_No!_"

"_Yes!_"

"You know," Pimbi said, his fingers - or claws - tapping the ground as he rested his chin on his other elbow. "Not that I don't find this conversation interesting, it's just...I think it's boring." With that the prarie dog dropped into his hole. "Gotta get back t' diggin', bye Kopa!"

"See ya!" Kopa called.

Pumbaa and Timon blinked at each other, before carrying on their argument.

"Crunchy!"

"Slimey!"

Kopa laughed quietly to himself, before taking off to Pride Rock.

**Back at the Kingdom, the lioness were bringing up an argument among themselves. When the news had gotten to them - it didn't take very long - about **what had happened to Simba and Kopa, they began talking about what to do about the near Outlanders.

"They're out of the Pridelands, aren't they? They're obeying the law, so there's nothing wrong!" one growled.

"I disagree," another replied. "What if they decided to come and get young Prince Kopa?"

"Why would they wanna do that?" a third asked.

"Because he's _prince!_" snapped the second.

A pale lioness exclaimed, "Just look at what the hyenas had done! They weren't allowed in the Pridelands, so they stayed _near_ them. In doing so, they finally took over the Kingdom with Scar. These Outlanders are capeable of anything!"

"Well I think...!"

And the conversation went on, so that the words of one lioness were covered up by the sentence of another. They were all at the main pathway, where there were many shady trees to protect them from the afternoon's sun. That's when the King and Queen were walking over.

"Simba!" one lioness finally shot out, and the rest fell silent. "Nala! What do you think about the Outlanders being so close?"

"Um," Simba started.

Before he could go on, everyone began to state their opinions, all at the same time. Finally Nala's roar silenced them once more.

"Silence!" she snarled. "We'll talk about this later!"

With that, the lionesses muttered under their breaths to each other, what they thought should or could happen.

"Sire, Majesty" said Zazu calmly, back to his normal self - he had been perched atop Simba's back the whole time. "The pride is getting restless."

"I can see," Nala remarked.

"May I suggest a meeting tonight?"

Simba nodded. "Yeah, that'd be good."

"Simba," Nala then said, but the King wasn't listening.

"Announce it to the pride and then go get Rafiki."

"Simba."

"Maybe he could help."

"Right away," Zazu replied, before flying off to the lionesses.

"Simba!"

"What?"

"Our _son?_"

"Kopa? What about him?"

Nala shook her head in disaprovel. "You promised to take him up to the top of Pride Rock tonight, remember?"

"Oh no," Simba suddenly said to himself, eyes wide as he stared out at the savannah, almost in shock.


	6. Explaining

VI

EXPLAINING

_T_he clicks of Pumbaa's hooves were mixted with the light pitter patter of Simba's giant paws. It was evening now, and Simba and his best friends were making their way through the Kingdom, to a flatter place on Pride Rock (the place Kiara and Kovu were first married in the original TLK II). Lionesses were gathering there, and Nala was already sitting in the middle of her subjects, awaiting the arrival of her mate.

Simba sighed to himself as his friends rambled on. He could hear their distant voices, but wasn't paying attention as he attempted to figure out what words would be right to use for his son.

"Kopa," he said to himself, practicing as he walked. "It's for the pride...No...Kopa, I'm sorry, but I can't take you up today. We'll go tommorrow." With that he shook his head and groaned.

"Hmm, what is it, Simba?" Pumbaa asked, interupting Timon's constant talk of bugs.

"I made a promise to Kopa that I would take him to the top of Pride Rock tonight, but I also said I'd have a meeting at the same time." he answered, frusterated at himself as they neared the cluster of cats.

"Well how are ya gonna do that?"

"I don't know, OK?" Simba snapped.

"Eesh," Timon said. "Looks like ya got yourself in quite of a pickle."

Simba glared as he haulted in his tracks.

"Eh, heh heh, sorry," the meerkat muttered as he sat on Pumbaa's back.

Suddenly, Kopa came pouncing up the main pathway of Pride Rock, laughing happily.

"Hey, Dad!" he called as he came closer. "Ya ready yet!"

And he was forced to stop so suddenly that his paws rubbed against the ground for gripped, but he managed to stop from colliding into the King and the roya baby-sitters. Simba flinched as he looked down at his cub's eager, innocent eyes. He hadn't a clue how long the meeting would go on for, but maybe he could rush through it, just in time to keep his promise. But the idea quickly fled as the arguing of lionesses' voices rose, along with angered growls and even roars.

"Simba!" he heard Nala call, and he jerked his head to her. She sat a few yards away, still in the middle of the crow as she mouthed to him, saying it to herself, "Come-on-right-now." and the lioness nodded as she did so, her teeth now clamped.

"Woah, what are they doing?" Kopa asked curiously.

"Uh, just a minute, Nala!" he replied over the arguments. When he turned back to look down at Kopa, the lion cleared his throat, about to speak, but suddenly stopped himself as he gazed at Timon and Pumbaa, strongly.

"Oh, right," Timon said, cheekily. "We better be goin' now,"

"Uh, yeah," Pumbaa replied.

"Good idea," Simba smirked as they trotted off.

Kopa questioned, "What was that about?"

Heaving a sigh, Simba sat down and dipped his head to nuzzle his son. "Listen, Kopa," he gently exclaimed, and Kopa tilted his head at the hurt tone in his voice. "I um...I c-can't take you up Pride Rock tonight,"

"What? Why not?" Kopa cried.

"I'm sorry," and he stood up again, looking down with a sigh, eyes closed. "Ya see them over there?"

Simba lifted a paw and pointed to the pride.

"No, Dad, I _don't _see all those lionesses," Kopa sarcastically replied as he sat down, tail slowly swishing.

"Well, we need to sort some things out."

"What things?"

"You know those Outlanders by our lands?" Kopa nodded. "They're...they're not what you would call...'worthy' of being in the Pridelands,"

"But they weren't,"

Simba sighed for a third time. "You're right...but things can still go wrong. Oh and, Kopa,"

"Hmm?"

"Don't go near them at all."

Kopa stood up and set a paw firmly on the floor of the outside Kingdom. "Don't worry, I _won't_. She was a creep. They both were!"

"And don't turn your back on them,"

"I know," muttered the cub, remebering what Vitani had done when he did that.

"Anyway, we don't want anything t' happen with them so near and all..." Simba heaved another sigh. "I'm sorry, Kopa," and he nuzzled his son again, eyes briefly closed. "I really am...I'll take you up there tommorrow, though, I promise."

"Oh," Kopa said, somewhat hurt as his father stook a step back to gaze down at him with a weak, forced grin. "Uh, OK, Dad."

Simba stood there for a few more moments, before turning and heading to the pride, as he lightly said, "Love ya, son,"

"You too, Dad," Kopa replied in a whisper, though Simba hadn't known he actually heard.

With that, the little prince pounced up to the Kingdom's cave as the sky slowly darkened.

Simba blinked as he watched his pride growl and argue loudly. They hadn't even notice he was standing two feet away! And poor Nala was stuck right in the middle of all this! Lifting his head, somewhat annoyed, the King lightly cleared his throat. With that, everyone gasped and fell silent, letting their ruler through as they bowed respectfully, taking a couple steps back as he passed. He sat down by his mate and nuzzled her.

"Thanks for not being late," growled Nala.

"Sorry...had some buisness to take care of," Simba replied quietly, before turning to the pride and roaring.

Nala joined, and soon the whole pride was. Zazu came over and lightly landed upon Simba's right shoulder.

"All right," Simba started. "We all know about the Outlanders..."

Simba's voice rang through the lands, or so it seemed. Kopa was padding into the cave, humming.

"Do I hear humming, Pumbaa?" someone asked.

The prince gasped as he jerked his head to see Timon holding a hand to his ear.

"First time you're not ridin' round on your poney," Kopa snickered.

"Woah, woah, back up," Pumbaa snorted. "I am _not _a poney."

The cub giggled.

Timon lifted up a rock and grabbed a bug, only to have the warthog join.

"Your dad loves you, ya know that?" said the meerkat after swallowing his snack.

Then he snatched another and lifted it to Kopa's face in offering.

"Sick!" Kopa said, jumping back.

He shrugged and said as he ate his meal, "More for us."

"Ya don't know what you're missin'!" Pumbaa called as Kopa trotted over to his favorite place in the cave.

"Oh, I think I do," he uttered to himself with a smirk, before curling up into a little golden, fur ball.


	7. Worried

VII

WORRIED

_B_ack at the pride meeting, the lionesses were still arguing as the sun fell.

"It's settled then," Nala finally concluded, hours later. "We'll send Zazu to warn them again, and after that, we'll just have t' wait for something to happen."

"Just _wait_ for them to kill us!" someone blurted.

The Queen narrowed her eyes at the lioness, and she lowered her ears, backing into the crowd again.

"We're stronger than them," Simba began. "I'm not worried about that...I'm worried about them sceming."

"Do not judge," someone then said.

A few lionesses backed up to make a pathway for Rafiki, who was walking over to the King and Queen. When he stopped in front them, they were smiling, and he hugged both.

"It's good to see you, Rafiki," Simba quietly said.

"You, too, my King. And Queen." He bowed respectfully.

"Rafiki!" Nala quickly exlcaimed, though she was flattered. "You don't have to do that!"

The shaman just chuckled.

"Sorry." Simba then said, more seriously. "I don't like to judge...it's just, I keep remembering the hyenas...and Sc-"

"De past is de past," Rafiki replied as everyone watched and listened. "Remember our little 'talk'?"

Simba grinned and nodded. "But that's why we wait...to see if they really are up to something...that's why we let them live their lives," and his voice rose as he looked at the pride again. "until something does happen..._if _something happens, that is."

"Then what's the point of Zazu flying out there to tell 'em?" another member of the pride challenged.

"Hu-what? What?" Zazu suddenly asked, fluffing his feathers as he awoke.

The bird was still perched atop Simba's shoulder, and had been asleep for awhile.

"Zazu'll just be a warning," Nala answered. "To keep them in line."

"Quite right, quite right," Zazu said, puffing out his chest. Then he turned to whisper in Simba's ear, that twitched as he did so. "What am I doing?"

"Go tell the Outlanders to be careful if they are to stay near our lands," Simba calmly said, staring out in the distance.

"Oh right, right." and Zazu took off into the night sky.

"We're done with this meeting." Nala stated, and the pride began to tiredly stumble up Pride Rock to the royal cave.

Simba nuzzled Nala.

"Just like your father," Rafik then exclaimed, smiling warmly as he put both hands on his staff, resting. "Strong, proud, brave...He would've been proud of you."

The King looked down at his paws, listening to Rafiki's words and his mate's purring. When he looked up, he cleared his throat and replied, "You're a bit late if you've come here for the meeting."

Rafiki shook his head. "No, no. I need to show you some'ding, Simba."

"Hmm?" Simba quiered.

"Just go," Nala insisted as she started up after the family. A couple feet away, she turned and looked over her shoulder to say, "I'll go check on Kopa. You go," and she continued on her way.

"C'mon," Rafiki said as he turned and began down the main pathway of the Kingdom.

Simba jumped up to walk slowly by his side.

When they were out in the dark Pridelands, walking through the green, lush grass, Rafiki asked, "Do you remember de time I took you to see your father's spirit?"

"Of course, how can I not?" Simba replied, looking away briefly.

"Figures," Rafiki chuckled, before they came to his baobab tree.

The monkey, as old as he was, easily climbed up. Simba leapt up after him, into a place he had never been. Hanging vines were tied to several fruits and objects. The shaman put down his staff, took a hanging coconut and broke it in half, and took some of its juice in his fingers. From there, he began to paint on the "wall" of a part of a large branch that stook up vertically from the huge trunk which they now stood on. Simba took a step closer as he watched. There was a picture of himself on that tree, and he smiled as he saw a picture near his - it was Kopa's. Yet, Rafiki was painting another cub, a few inches from the prince's.

"I have been speaking to de spirits lately, Simba. Your father warns me about something." Rafiki exclaimed as he continued to work.

"My father" Simba quickly replied.

"'Eet ees with great honor that 'ee speaks to me by de wind."

And with that, a cool breeze broke into the tree, and Simba closed his eyes as his mane flowed in the night. He opened them again, still listening as the wind died down.

"He does? What'd he say?" the King questioned, his voice smooth but not totally calm.

"I am not sure...'Eet is something to do with a cub...in de Outlands."

Simba blinked. A cub in the Outlands? Who was he talking about? And how threatening could a cub be?

"Dis Zira fills de cub's heart with hate," Rafiki then said, and Simba watched as the shaman smudged an inky, black sustance on the newly-painted cub's chest. "I am very worried about dis, Simba." He turned around to face his King. "'Eef dis goes on much longer..."

"Zira's cub?" Rafiki nodded. "But what can a cub do?"

"It's when de cubs grows..." said the baboon warily, gazing down for a moment.

Simba growled and straightened up. "I'll keep an eye out...don't worry."

Rafiki looked up again with a weak smile, put his hand to his chest, and bowed.

The King leapt from the Tree of Life and began to run west, back to Pride Rock. Rafiki watched from his tree as Simba called over his shoulder while still sprinting through the grass which he was now making a trail in, "Thanks for the heads up, Rafiki!"


	8. Another Broken

IIX

ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE

_T_here was life all about the Pridelands. A giraffe was nosing the crisp leaves of a tree in the savannah. There was a herd of zebras off to the north, and near the southern borders, the crockadiles thrived, sharing a great water hole of a pod of grunting hippos, who angrily splashed anything near. An ostiche lowered her long neck to gaze at her new hatchling somewhere else in the grasslands, and an okapi was frolicking over the horizon. Life was everywhere, and Simba studied it, a wary expression, and crawling saddened eyes. The King sat by the base of the jutting peak of Pride Rock, by the great rock which sat near the left of the enterence of the royal cave (the one Kovu had to sleep at before Simba trusted him enough to let him into the cave).

Inside, the lionesses were sound asleep. Kopa was as well, his back against his mother's side, hind paws twitching. He soon awoke as the soothing blanket of sunlight bathed him and part of the den floor, reaching in from the enternce, first peeking out of one eye, then yawning.

Then he suddenly gasped. "Oh no!" he cried, jumping up.

"Shh!" someone hissed from the other side of the cave.

Nala opened her eyes, only to ask tiredly, "What is it, Kopa?"

"Mom," the prince whined as he turned to face her. "The sun's already rising, but Dad said he'd take me t' the top of Pride Rock this morning! I-I think it's too late now."

Sitting up, the Queen replied gently, "I'm sure there's nothing wrong with being a little late." and she winked at him.

"Oh," he mused. "OK."

His eyes suddenly brightened as he turned to run to the cave's exit. "I'll go see if Dad's up there now!" but he lightly crashed into Nala's blocking paw.

"No. You just rest. I'll go find him."

"Um, O-oK." and he sat, watching his mother pad out, suddenly growing very fond of her right then.

"Simba?" the Queen asked as she walked out of the cave. Her right ear twitched as there was the sound of a light shuffle, and she turned to stalk around the rock, smiling as she saw her mate. "Simba, weren't you going to take Kopa up Pride Rock?"

His eyes were still feasting on the north, though, as he replied, a tone of shame thickly layering his voice, "I...can't."

Nala blinked in surprise, then came closer. "What? Why not?"

"Zira," he mumbled.

"Huh?"

Simba turned to her, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. "It's Zira. I think she's up to something."

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "What do you think lastnight's meeting was for?"

"No," and he shook his head as he said that. "Nala, trust me on this one." He paused to ponder, wondering if he should say it, but finally, his hesitant voice continued. "I've had a warning," He glanced upwards.

Nala followed his gaze, but sternly looked back at her mate. "Simba, you promised."

"Yeah but, I said I'd take him today...I didn't say this morning."

"He thinks so," she snapped.

"I'm doing this for the pride and, have you seen Zazu? He's been gone forever. I think he's in trouble."

Simba got up and padded passed her, heading to the main pathway, past the rock as well, and the base of the peak, over to the southeastern part of the Kingdom. But Nala was doubtfull, and so followed.

"Look, Kopa can play with Timon and Pumbaa today." he said as he briefly stopped.

"Simba," she growled. "You said you'd take him."

"I have responsibilties, Nala," The voice of the King was smooth, and not at all risen, nor harsh, yet it was full of frusteration and a yearning to convince.

With those words, he began to stalk down the pathway.

"Yeah, your son!" he heard her call.

"I'll take him up there tonight!" he called over his shoulder, yet added to himself, "I hope..."

Simba could not take the pain any longer, and so took off in a run, before rushing through the grass, and turning.

"Dad! Hey, Dad!" Kopa called as he pounced out of the cave. He blinked and cocked his head as he saw Simba run off to the north. "Where's Dad goin', Mom?" his sweet, innocent voice questioned.

Nala sighed, sitting down as she, too, watched her mate dissappear over the horizon. Her eyes still distant as they stayed in the same spot, her gentle voice replied, "Go play with Timon and Pumbaa."


End file.
